Artemis II completes historic lunar flyby and heads home after 40-minute communication blackout

For more than 40 minutes, the Artemis II crew was completely isolated in space. The Orion spacecraft, as planned, passed behind the Moon, cutting off all communication with Earth, something that had not happened since Apollo, more than 50 years ago.

The Moon blocked radio signals from the Deep Space Network, a trio of large antennas in California, Australia and Spain, leaving astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen without contact with NASA Mission Control in Houston.

When communications were restored, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman sent a message to the world, announcing the crew's return: "On the far side of the Moon, 252,756 miles away, Reid, Victor, Christina, and Jeremy have now traveled farther from Earth than any humans in history and now begin their journey home. Before they left, they said they hoped this mission would be forgotten, but it will be remembered as the moment people started to believe that America can once again do the near-impossible and change the world."

As soon as communications were restored, a message arrived from  NASA astronaut Christina Koch.

"It is so great to hear from Earth again," Koch said. "To Asia, Africa and Oceania, we are looking back at you. We hear you. You can look up and see the moon right now. We see you, too. When we burned this burn towards the moon, I said that we do not leave Earth. That is true. We will explore. We will build ships. We will visit again. We will construct science outposts. We will drive rovers, we will do radio astronomy, we will found companies. We will bolster industry, we will inspire. But ultimately, we will always choose Earth. We will always choose each other."

"See you on the other side"

Just before the communications blackout, Orion pilot Victor Glover starred in one of the most emotional moments of the entire mission. Instead of sending a technical report, he shared the Gospel of Jesus Christ with Earth in the moments before the flyby. 

"Christ said, in response to what was the greatest command, that it was to love God with all that you are," Glover said. "And he also, being a great teacher, said the second is equal to it, and that is to love your neighbor as yourself."

"And so, as we prepare to go out of radio communication, we're still going to feel your love from Earth, and to all of you down there on earth and around earth, we love you from the moon," the astronaut stated.

They were the last words to reach Earth before the crew fell silent.

The return home

The blackout, moreover, coincided with the instant of closest proximity to the Moon. With communications cut off, the crew reached its closest point to the lunar surface: 4,057 miles. According to NASA, from that distance the Moon looked about the size of a basketball held at arm's length. Minutes later, the spacecraft also reached its farthest point from Earth: 252,756 miles. Two simultaneous records that will now go down in the history books.

Communication was restored when Earth reappeared on the lunar horizon, the so-called "Earthrise." Before the signal returned, the crew left behind thrilling images, including photographs of the Orientale Basin, nicknamed the "Grand Canyon of the Moon," the youngest of the large lunar basins, with three concentric rings and a diameter estimated at three times the width of Massachusetts. The phrase "lunar joy" - used by Mission Control to describe the crew's enthusiasm as they gaze at the Moon - has already become the official expression of the mission.

Now, the crew embarks on their return home, scheduled to take about five days.